4-Day Workweek

[ClydeR]

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., is reintroducing a bill to put Americans on a four-day work week, capitalizing on a spate of recent news about the concept.

The bill would adjust the Fair Labor Standards Act to shrink the standard 40-hour workweek in the US to only 32 hours. Employers would then be required to pay overtime to employees whose work exceeds 32 hours per week.

More...

If it is true that work expands to fill the available time, then 32 hours should be plenty. Should the extra day off be Monday, Wednesday or Friday?

[Anebriated]

get ready for companies to start offering 80% of the pay.


as far as which day, it wouldn't be a national day off. Companies will rotate their employees so they have the same coverage they had previously and likely will have a day of the week when everyone is required to be present.

[Parkbandit]

get ready for companies to start offering 80% of the pay.

Seran probably: "They can make up for it by giving everyone a 25% pay raise. Win/Win. And no one loses any money! Also we need a 50% raise in welfare checks."

[kutter]

A 32 hour work week is ridiculous, but anebriated is right, if employees want it then they should settle for a 20% cut in pay, that seems pretty fair to me. Now, if you want to do 4 10 hour days instead, that makes a whole lot of sense to me. Not sure if they are still doing it, but East Baton Rouge employees were on a 4 day work week where 50% took off Monday and 50% took of Friday and everyone was there for the middle of the week. The people I spoke to seemed to like it.

I know that in the military, on ships specifically we ran what we called trop hours, 0700 to 1300 with breakfast before the day started and lunch after it was over. It worked because you did not have all those little breaks cutting in to your day, 15 minute coffee break morphs into 30-45, 1 hour lunch into 1.5, afternoon break, same thing. You had 6 hours with no interruptions to get stuff done, not stop and start. But to be fair while underway you were at work 24-7 so it always seemed to balance out in my mind.

[Anebriated]

A 32 hour work week is ridiculous, but anebriated is right, if employees want it then they should settle for a 20% cut in pay, that seems pretty fair to me. Now, if you want to do 4 10 hour days instead, that makes a whole lot of sense to me. Not sure if they are still doing it, but East Baton Rouge employees were on a 4 day work week where 50% took off Monday and 50% took of Friday and everyone was there for the middle of the week. The people I spoke to seemed to like it.

I know that in the military, on ships specifically we ran what we called trop hours, 0700 to 1300 with breakfast before the day started and lunch after it was over. It worked because you did not have all those little breaks cutting in to your day, 15 minute coffee break morphs into 30-45, 1 hour lunch into 1.5, afternoon break, same thing. You had 6 hours with no interruptions to get stuff done, not stop and start. But to be fair while underway you were at work 24-7 so it always seemed to balance out in my mind.

I offer 4-10's to my team. Id say only about 20% of people opted in. It comes with the stipulation that they have to be available for their weekly team meetings and my monthly call but those are always tues-thurs.

[time4fun]

A 32 hour work week is ridiculous, but anebriated is right, if employees want it then they should settle for a 20% cut in pay, that seems pretty fair to me. Now, if you want to do 4 10 hour days instead, that makes a whole lot of sense to me. Not sure if they are still doing it, but East Baton Rouge employees were on a 4 day work week where 50% took off Monday and 50% took of Friday and everyone was there for the middle of the week. The people I spoke to seemed to like it.

I know that in the military, on ships specifically we ran what we called trop hours, 0700 to 1300 with breakfast before the day started and lunch after it was over. It worked because you did not have all those little breaks cutting in to your day, 15 minute coffee break morphs into 30-45, 1 hour lunch into 1.5, afternoon break, same thing. You had 6 hours with no interruptions to get stuff done, not stop and start. But to be fair while underway you were at work 24-7 so it always seemed to balance out in my mind.

Actually it turns out four 8-hour-day work weeks (for knowledge workers) lead people to be more productive, not less. Well being and retention go up as well. The number of hours you work isn't the same thing as your productivity.

Though I must confess, I have a hard time seeing how that doesn't just turn into four 12-16 hour days. Still, I wish I had a chance to give it a try.

[kutter]

I offer 4-10's to my team. Id say only about 20% of people opted in. It comes with the stipulation that they have to be available for their weekly team meetings and my monthly call but those are always tues-thurs.

I wonder if the 80% are married especially for a long time, and want to be away more

I currently work 7-12 hours shifts in a 2 week pay period. Even if I were not divorced, I would want my current schedule because it means I drive in 3 fewer days per pay period and I have a 3 day weekend every other weekend.

If I was offered 4-10's a week I might take that, but as a watch stander, that does not really work, we either work 8 or 12 hour days.

[Anebriated]

I wonder if the 80% are married especially for a long time, and want to be away more

I currently work 7-12 hours shifts in a 2 week pay period. Even if I were not divorced, I would want my current schedule because it means I drive in 3 fewer days per pay period and I have a 3 day weekend every other weekend.

If I was offered 4-10's a week I might take that, but as a watch stander, that does not really work, we either work 8 or 12 hour days.

We are 100% remote and have a pretty flexible work/life balance already. People tend to work whatever hours they need/want anyway and as long as they hit their numbers I dont really care when they work as long as they leave themselves available for the few meetings we hold.

[Gelston]

Hah, I don’t get overtime unless I do over 84 hours in two weeks.

[~Rocktar~]

I offer 4-10's to my team. Id say only about 20% of people opted in. It comes with the stipulation that they have to be available for their weekly team meetings and my monthly call but those are always tues-thurs.

I work from home, I would love 4-10s. My company, despite being 24/7/365 can't seem to balance the load to allow that despite the fact I work from 11:30 to 8 and would be fine working 9:30 to 8 or some variation. Irritating.